Towel-rack.



B. S. GRUNER.

TOWEL RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL-'31, 190a.

Patented June 22, 1909.

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B. S GRUNER.

TOWEL RAUK.

925,473" APPLIOIATION TILED MYAB. 31, 1908. Patented June 22 a sauna-Bantu. 2'.

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UNTTED tdTATES @FFTQE BENJAMIN S. GRUNER, OF ALEXANDER CITY, ALABAMA.

TOWEL-RACK.

Application filed March 31,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. GRUNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alexander City, in the county of Tallapoosa and State of Alabama, have in ented certain new and useful Improvements in Towel- Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to towel racks and has for an object to provide a device of this character whereby a towel may be conveniently hung thereon and which may be hung at a convenient height upon a wall or other object, means being provided whereby the towel may be brought into convenient reach when it is desired to use the same and afterward returned to a height whereby the towel will he obviously out of the way.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby the towel may be stretched laterally to present a neat appearance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which will be simple, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide a frame for the mechanism of the rack which may be formed of suitable wire and bent to form attaching brackets for the same.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that chan es in the speeific structure shown and described may be made vdthin the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a rear view, Fig. 3 is an end view, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a rear view of a slightly modified form of my invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a towel rack 10 comprising a roller 11 closed at its ends by caps 12 and 13 respectively. The cap 13 is provided with a centrally located and horizont-ally disposed passage 14 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The cap 12 is pro- Specification of Letters Iatent.

vided with a centrally located and horizontally disposed passage 15, and disposed in Patented June 22, 1909.

1908. Serial No. 124;,l16.

this passage there is shown a portion of a rod 16 carried by the roller 11 and located within the hollow portion 17 thereof. The rod 16 outwardly of the cap is flattened as shown at A helical spring 19 is coiled about the rod 16 and has one of its ends secured to the inner end of the rod as shown at 20, and the other end of this sprin is secured to the cap 12, as shown at 21. A rod 22 is disposed above the roller 11 and in spaced relation thereto, and this rod has one of its ends bent downwardly at right angles as shown at 23, the lower portion of which is hooked as shown at 24 to receive the flattened portion 18 of the rod 16. T he opposite end of the rod is extended downwardly in a like manner and is provided with an inwardly directed portion 25 disposed in the passage 14 formed in the cap 13 and thus serves as a trunnion for the roller.

A supporting frame 26 is provided for the roller and rod respectively and comprises a single length of wire bent to form an arm 27 which lies rearwardly of the roller, and this arm has its ends bent to provide forwardly projecting portions 28 which lie beneath the roller, and these portions are extended upwardly in front of the roller as shown at 29 and are bent to provide horizontally extending portions 30 which lie in parallel relation to the roller, as shown. From the portions 30, the wire is bent inwardly and is coiled about the rod 22 as shown at 31 and then coiled about the depending portions of the rod 22 and finally bent inwardly as shown at 32 and upwardly as shown at 33. The portions 33 have their upper ends bent to form eyes 34 for the attachment of fastening devices as is obvious. The arm 27 thus lies in line with the portion 32, and this arm effectively serves as a brace member.

A guard plate 35 is provided for the frame and for the roller respectively, and this guard plate is provided with tongues 36 en gaged with portions of the frame, as shown.

The roller adjacent each end is provided with passages 37 which receive the free ends of cords 38 or similar flexible connections, and these cords are attached at their lower ends to the eyes 39 of a towel holder 40 which is also formed of a single length of wire and com rises a horizontally extending por tion 41 coated between the eyes 39, and from the eyes 39 the wire is bent downwardly at an angle as shown at 42 and is bent at its ends to form vertical portions 43, and these portions 43 are provided at their lower ends with horizontally disposed coils 44.

The cap 12 is provided with pivoted dogs 45 adapted to engage teeth 46 formed in the rod 16 adjacent its outer end.

It will thus be seen that the towel rack may be hung in a convenient place in a room and near the ceiling thereof and which effectively serves to hold the towel elevated but in convenient reach of its user. When the towel is to be used the lower end thereof is grasped and pulled in a downward direction, and after the towel has reached its proper position the dogs 45 will engage the teeth 46 of the rod 16 and effectively serve to hold the roller against rotation. V-Jhen it is desired to elevate the towel, the same is moved in a downward direction and released, whereupon, the dogs 45 will be disengaged from the teeth 46 to wind the cords upon the roller and carry the towel to its original position. It may be stated that the upper end of the towel is engaged at its ends between the coils 44 and is thus held stretched and presents a neat appearance of the towel at all times and also assists in its drying.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 6, I provide a roller 47 of a greater diameter than the roller previously described, and I provide this roller with a single cord 48 engaged in the eye 49 of a towel holding member 50 having downwardly directed arms 51 coiled at their lower ends as shown at 52 to receive the towel as described.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the class described the COI11- bination of a single length of wire bent U-' shaped, a second length of wire having its opposite extremities engaged about said first length of wire and extended upwardly, eyes formed in the upper extremities of the arms of said second wire for supporting the device, said second length being bent angularly at its central portion where it is curved downwardly between the arms of said first wire and projected rearwardly below the extremi ties of said first wire, a guard plate disposed vertically upon the outer face of the device and supported at its opposite edges u on said second length of wire, a spring ro ler disposed in the extremities of said first length of wire, cords disposed upon the opposite extremities of said spring roller and a spring towel holder secured at its upper 0pposite corners to the outer extremities of said cords.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN S. GRUNER. Witnesses J NO. HENDERSON, E. I. GrLoHnInAs. 

